Coven - Witchcraft Terms and Tools - Witchcraft Witchcraft Terms and Tools - Coven Modern Wiccan coven celebrating a Handfasting ceremony in Avebury, England (2005) (from ) In Wicca and other similar forms of modern Neopagan witchcraft, a coven is a gathering or community of witches, a group of believers who gather together for ceremonies of worship, such as Drawing Down the Moon or celebrating the Sabbats . Other words may also be used, such as clan, grove, sept, touta, cove. The word �coven� (or �covan�) was originally a late medieval (c.1500) Scots word meaning a gathering of any kind, deriving from the Latin root word �convenire� (meaning to come together or to gather). The first recorded use of it being applied to witches, however, came much later, in the 1662 trial of Isobel Gowdie , which described a coven of thirteen members.

Even then, the word remained largely unused in English until 1921, when Margaret Murray promoted the idea, now much disputed, that historically all witches across Europe met in groups of thirteen which they called �covens�. The number of witches in a coven may vary, and any meeting of three or more can be considered a coven. Twenty is often considered a rule-of-thumb maximum, although covens of up to sixty are not unheard of. Some covens limit membership to thirteen, possibly in deference to Murray 's theories, and possibly on the grounds that this is the maximum number which can be comfortably accommodated in the traditional 9-foot circle . However, some groups consider that a coven of as many as thirteen can lead to unwieldy group dynamics and an unfair burden on the leadership. A coven usually has one or two leaders, known as the High Priestess and/or High Priest, and each coven is usually autonomous and makes its own decisions (depending on the particular tradition it follows). Some covens are very democratic in their practices; some are very hierarchical, strongly regimented and autocratically run. When a coven grows too large to be manageable, it may split or "hive".

In Wicca , a newly made High Priest or High Priestess (with 3rd Degree ordination) may also leave to start their own coven, and strike off in new directions. Alex Sanders' coven practising "skyclad" (1968) (from ) Many covens (called initiatory covens) require that the leaders initiate new members before they can be considered part of the group or tradition , which usually involves some kind of formal induction ceremony and oath of loyalty after the prospective member has carried out the required level of study (often for the traditional year-and-a-day). Other covens operate on a self-initiation basis, or accept initiates from other groups or traditions . Some covens work in robes, some in modified street clothing, and a few go �skyclad� or naked. Some are �teaching covens� and are happy to take on newcomers; others prefer to keep to the current membership and aim to develop a closer family-type relationship. Some �open covens�, or those with an �inner circle� and �outer circle�, allow interested outsiders to get a taste of coven practice without committing themselves.

Some covens are gender-segregated, although most are open to both sexes and often try to maintain a more or less even balance of male and female members. Many covens also have some system of degrees or ranks based on the level of expertise or experience of the members (although these vary significantly between traditions ). Typical degree divisions might be: Neophyte (a student preparing for basic initiation as a witch); First Degree (a witch who has been initiated, but has not yet undertaken any advanced study); Second Degree (a witch who has an intermediate knowledge of the craft, which in some traditions may also confer priesthood); Third Degree (a witch who has studied the craft in depth, and is capable of teaching others and/or serving as High Priest/High Priestess); Elder (in some traditions , a witch of advanced knowledge and who has been active for a number of years). Male Witch or Warlock Male Witch or Warlock Uncross Crossed Love Conditions Break Up Spells Communication Ritual Gay Love Spells Lust Rituals Male Witch or Warlock? The only difference between a male witch and a female witch is their gender. To call a male witch, a warlock is highly offensive.

A warlock is a witch, male, or female who has been locked out of his or her coven, and the members of the group have turned their backs on the individual labeled as a warlock, because they feel that their tradition, or the craft was in someway betrayed. Covens, and pagan groups alike are notorious for their politics, the craft is not at all exempt from politics, and often the group will take on the energy of their leader, of their high priest, or priestess and follow his or her commands, rules, and bylaws. I am a male witch, I have practiced magic since the age of 13, one is not born a witch, one becomes a witch by choice, there are no hereditary witches, male, or female. Witchcraft, Wicca is an Earth based religion, one who follows Wicca must adhere to the bylaws put forth by the elders of the group in which she, or he belongs, if the practicing witch doesn't belong to a group, than that witch is considered to be a solitary practitioner, and therefore must only rectify his or her own karma with the universe.

There are differences in heredity, and generational, I come from a long line of witches, each of them chose to follow the great Mother, just as I chose to follow her, I am a generational male witch, I strive to live my life in balance, and in harmony with the natural forces around me, I choose to manipulate the elements, and to raise the cone of power during ritual, I acknowledged that I can, and will change the course of my life through the practice of magic, whether you label yourself a white witch or not, magic is pure energy, it is the will of the practitioner that decides whether the magic is good, bad, black or white! Witches today are more open about their practice, and their beliefs in magic, witches of old were much like gay people, repressed, and lived deep in the closet for fear of retribution, and during the burning times there were many men, women, and even children put to death just by the simple accusation of an angry neighbor for being a witch, or the practice of magic. Luckily for us times have changed, and as a gay male witch, I eagerly expect the day that we can all live in harmony, goodwill, peace, love, and balance.

If you are in need of magical help, signup for a user account , you can also call me at the number listed on the website. Blessed Be, Phelan 10 Weird Facts About Witches | Mental Floss 10 Weird Facts About Witches ThinkStock Like us on Facebook The practice of witchcraft is deeply rooted in history, and has—excuse the joke—conjured up some very interesting myths. Here are a few facts. 1. Most witches weren't burned at the stake. Getty Images The common image of a witch’s execution shows a large group of hysteric people surrounding the guilty person on a burning pyre—but immolation was not the primary means of execution used for those accused of witchcraft. During the Salem Witch Trials, no one was burned to death; all of the accused that pled their cases and were found guilty during the Trials in 1692 were hanged. In fact, no one found guilty of witchcraft was ever executed by burning in the American colonies—immolation wasn't permissible by English law. But one person was pressed to death by large stones: Giles Corey, a man who refused to plead guilty or not guilty for charges of witchcraft during the Trials.

The court found Corey guilty despite staying mute by using the French legal precedent of “peine forte et dure.” Corey is the only person in US history to be pressed to death by court order. 2. Witch hunts didn't specifically target women. Getty Images Historically-rooted misogyny led many to believe that women were somehow more susceptible to the dark arts or temptation by the Devil, and therefore more likely to be witches. For instance, the Laws of Alfred, written by King of Wessex Alfred the Great in AD 893, specified witchcraft as an expressly female activity. But men practiced, too, and were called many different names, including a wizard, a warlock, or a sorcerer. Countless women and men were indiscriminately persecuted for witchcraft throughout history. During the Trier Witch Trials in Germany, which lasted from 1581 to 1593, a total of 368 people were executed—and many of the victims were leading male figures of the cities and surrounding villages, including judges, councilors, priests, and deans of colleges.

In the Würzburg Witch Trial , which stretched from 1626 to 1631, 157 men, women, and children were burned at the stake for such random reasons as allegedly humming songs with the Devil to being a vagrant unable to give an explanation as to why they were passing through the town of Würzburg. 3. Not all Witches were Bad. VCDQ Even though we’ve got that common image of an evil witch—a warty old woman dressed all in black, riding a broomstick, with a pointy hat—anybody familiar with The Wizard of Oz knows that there can be good witches too! Glinda the good witch was a representation of the benevolent half of witchcraft, known as white magic . Historically, practitioners of white magic were known as white witches, and they were more folk healers than devious people out for double, double toil and trouble. However, writer C.S. Lewis reversed the notion for The Chronicles of Narnia saga, making one of the main antagonists the icy and evil White Witch. 4. People could be convicted of witchcraft without any solid evidence.

Wikimedia Commons During the Salem Witch Trials, most of the legally-recognized evidence used against those accused of witchcraft amounted to spectral evidence , or “witness testimony that the accused person's spirit or spectral shape appeared to him/her witness in a dream at the time the accused person's physical body was at another location,” which was accepted “on the basis that the devil and his minions were powerful enough to send their spirits, or specters, to pure, religious people in order to lead them astray.” Other evidence used against them were so-called “ Witch’s Marks ” on their skin that allegedly proved they had made pacts with the devil. Contemporary research suggests these marks were possibly small ordinary lesions or supernumerary nipples. 5. We don't know where the word "witch" came from. All the etymology geeks out there may or may not be surprised to know that the word “witch” is of indeterminate origin . The closest and most obvious possible origin is the Old English word wicce, which means “female sorceress,” and is the basic linguistic root for the modern day pagan religion, Wicca.

Another more specific possibility is a split meaning coming from the Old English wigle, meaning “divination” and wih, meaning “idol,” both coming from the Proto-Germanic word wikkjaz, which means “necromancer,” or “one who wakes the dead.” 6. People wrote entire books dedicated to witch hunting. Wikimedia Commons In the 15th century, witchcraft was of grave concern to a lot of people, and major pieces of literature were written about witches. The most famous was the Malleus Maleficarum , a legal and theological document that became the de facto handbook on how to deal with witches and witchcraft, and spurred the nascent hysteria caused by witch-hunting in Europe that would last well into the 18th century. The book was written by two clergyman of the Dominican Order—Jakob Sprenger, the dean of the University of Cologne, and Heinrich Kramer, a theology professor at the University of Salzburg—and used Exodus 22:18, “You shall not permit a sorceress to live,” as its basis to detect and persecute any and all witches. Even people as important as kings got in on the action.

James I of England’s 1597 book, Daemonologie , was a treatise that threw his support behind the importance of the practice of witch hunting. James himself even presided over the 1590 North Berwick Witch Trials when he believed a devious Earl plotted to overthrow the then-King of Scotland with the help of a coven. 7. A Pope Once Confirmed that Witches Exist. Wikimedia Commons The Catholic Church saw witchcraft as a threat to all of its followers.

In 1484, Pope Innocent VIII issued a papal bull titled “ Summis desiderantes affectibus ” (“Desiring with supreme ardor”) that recognized the existence of witches, saying, “many persons of both sexes, heedless of their own salvation and forsaking the Catholic faith, give themselves over to devils male and female,” and that they “afflict and torture with dire pains and anguish, both internal and external, these men, women, cattle, flocks, herds, and animals, and hinder men from begetting and women from conceiving, and prevent all consummation of marriage; that, moreover, they deny with sacrilegious lips the faith they received in holy baptism; and that, at the instigation of the enemy of mankind, they do not fear to commit and perpetrate many other abominable offences and crimes, at the risk of their own souls, to the insult of the divine majesty and to the pernicious example and scandal of multitudes.” The papal bull effectively gave Kramer and Sprenger—the writers of the Malleus Maleficarum—the God-given authority to begin their Inquisition. 8.

Laws About Witchcraft were in place in the mid-20th Century. Technically, England’s Witchcraft Act of 1735 was still official and on the books until 1951, when it was replaced with the Fraudulent Mediums Act. The language of the original Act wasn’t about persecuting witches per se, but rather made it illegal for people to claim that others were witches. Yet being legally convicted meant that you purported to have the powers of a witch—and in fact, a woman named Jane Rebecca Yorke was found guilty in 1944 under the law, though she was convicted mostly because she was defrauding people with bogus séances. 9. Witches probably didn't wear pointy hats. What do you call a group of witches? | Reference.com What do you call a group of witches? A: Quick Answer A group of witches is known as a coven, and it was suggested throughout the biggest part of the 20th Century that witches in Europe met in covens consisting of 13 witches.

In modern times, followers and practitioners of Wicca, who are known as Wiccans, gather in covens in much the same way that Christians gather in congregations. Full Answer According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it is thought that the word "coven" originated in the medieval Scotland around the year 1500, and it was originally used to denote a gathering of any kind. It is a derivative of the Latin "to come together or to gather," which is "convenire." This Latin etymology is also behind the word "convene." The word "coven" was first recorded in use during the trial of a Scottish witch in 1662 — Isobel Gowdie. The term was not commonly applied until 1921, when folklorist Margaret Murray promoted the notion of covens being made up of 13 witches. Although covens of yesteryear probably met in secret locations due to the continual misunderstanding of those who practice non-traditional religions (a behavior that might get them burned at the stake,) today's witches have the option of joining an online coven.

Most internet covens have membership numbers of 100 or less, and many of them are subscription based. The Pagan's Path ~ Witchcraft & Shamanism - Covens, Groves, Clans and Alike Covens, Groves, Clans and Alike A Few Definitions Middle English - Covin a group of confederates Old French - covin or middle Latin - to convene Vulgar Latin - to agree A coven is formal organization of 13 working practioners of magik. These can be witches, mages, shamans, and so on. But a coven is typically associated with a group of witches. Lead by a high priest and priestess. Middle English - grof - a thicket Old English - fraefa - a group, a small wood of trees A formal group of Druids, who organize for ritual work, learning and providing spiritual guidance to their communities. Archaic - raedan - a kinship Middle English - kinreden - akin to A formal group of Norse practioners, usually within Asatru, lead by a high priest/priestess called a Gothar. They gather together in many numbers, from small to large.

The Kindred is a family of souls which can be 3 practioners plus the Gothar, up to a full community. Gael & Irish - clann, cland - offspring - tribe Latin - planta - offshoot A formal group of Celtic practioners, usually within Irish traditions, lead by a high priest/priestess called a Shaman/Shamanka. Who organize for ritual work, learning and providing spiritual guidance to their communities. The Clan can be as small as 9 practioners, up to a full community. . Gathering Together People have been gathering together for centuries. Wither by practical purpose to survive in the harsh world of the time, or for simple kinship. As within society today, people also gathered together in smaller groups for common purpose. This is true of early pagans around the ancient world. Covens have been referenced in literature as early as the 12th century. In the Polycraticus, John of Salisbury describes organized groups of witches who carry on at wild sabbats. A story popular in the Middle Ages concerns an event with St.

Germain (390-448), in which he encounters villagers preparing a dinner for the "good women who walk about at night" dancing with the spirits. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance the existence of covens was taken more seriously. The judges of the inquisition tortured witches into confessions of being part of 13 member covens, and forced them into providing the names of the other participants. The Church believed this would allow them to throw a wide net around these 'criminals'. The earliest known documented reference (outside of literature) to a coven is from a 1324 witch trial in Kilkenny, Ireland. Dame Alice Kyteler was accused of being part of a 13-member group and was being forced to reveal the other members. Dame Alice refused and was executed for her insolence and being a witch. By the 1700s, the concept of a coven was firmly established in society. But many quickly went under ground and became secret to avoid the persecution of the Church. Some witches of today claim to be members of covens that date back generations. Sybil Leek's New Forest coven claims to be 800 years old.

Some covens may indeed be old, but there is little practical or accepted evidence to indicate that these covens have existed in unbroken lines throughout the centuries. That doesn't mean it's not true, just hard to prove beyond reasonable doubt. European witches were and are not, the only pagans to gather in groups. The earliest known records of the Druids come from the 3rd century BC and describe Druid Groves. Formal organizations were also known as Bangors. Both of these were groups of Druid Priests who became teachers, leaders and even judges when necessary of their local communities. In addition to the Druids, and some say prior to their formalization, there were the Irish Clans. Family groups usually, who were lead by a warrior leader and a spiritual Shaman. This is the basic concept of Celtic Shamanism which is slightly different than the Druidic Order. In these groups, Shamans gathered together with the Clan for ritual work. At times their workings required them to meet alone without the laymen of the Clan. In these cases, the gathers would consist of at least 3 members if possible. But many Shamans of a Clan worked alone. During special events, Shamans from neighboring Clans would also gather together for spiritual workings.

Across the waters, the Norse also had/have their own coven versions called Kindreds. These groups are formed with members, who the existing practioners would want to be in their own family and extended family. This is how many Kindreds are formed today in Vinland. Today the Ásatrú Alliance promotes the founding and growth of Kindreds, and that through the pages of their publication, Vor Tru, they reach out to many of the Folk, or people of the Kindreds. For further details about each of these groups, I'll be adding postings to each section listed on the Witchcraft & Shamanism menu. Stay tuned. For those looking for information about starting your own coven, read the posting on " Starting Your Own Coven ". Taylor Swift's Group of Friends Is a Witches' Coven? Find Out What Lena Dunham and Lorde Said! | E! News Press Enter to Search Taylor Swift's Group of Friends Is a Witches' Coven? Find Out What Lena Dunham and Lorde Said! By Email Getty Images Taylor Swift has quickly become the head of a clique of fierce female celebs and two of star, Lena Dunham and Lorde , are totally into it.

Swift has often hung out with and organized many parties (did someone say Slip N' Slide ?) for her friends, including the two and the likes of Selena Gomez , Sarah Hyland , Hailee Steinfeld and models Gigi Hadid , Cara Delevingne , Lily Aldridge , Karlie Kloss and Karlie Kloss. She recently threw pal Jaime King a star-studded baby shower . Many of her besties, including Dunham, have appeared in her new "Bad Blood" music video . In comments made in Dazed & Confused magazine, published in its summer 2015 issue, Dunham called Swift a "camp mother." PHOTOS: Taylor Swift's famous friends Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic "I feel that Taylor has really taken control and said, 'I'm going to get us all together in the same place, I'm gonna make it very clear that friendship is powerful and women are magic and if anybody thinks this is a witches' coven, they might be right.'" the Girls star and creator said. "She's just made it her job in a very cool way." "Yeah!" Lorde added.

"I mean, she definitely brought me into this amazing world of supportive female friendship." "For me, someone starts talking about boys and I'm like, 'I just don't know what to say,'" she said. "I'm useless in that capacity and that was why I thought, 'Well, I can't have girl friends...I don't know how to talk about boys.' But Taylor just glosses over the fact that I'm terrible at that and she's just like, 'It's OK, I'll love you for your other qualities.'" Brazil E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our US edition? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our Canadian edition? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our UK edition? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our Australian edition? E! ist überall Dieser Inhalt ist für internationale Besucher verfügbar. Möchtest du ihn in der deutschen Version anschauen? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience.

Would you like to view this in our German edition? E! est partout Une version adaptée de ce contenu est disponible pour notre public international. Souhaitez-vous voir ça dans notre édition française ? E! Is Everywhere This content is available customized for our international audience. Would you like to view this in our French edition? Yes! Reclaiming: Witchcraft FAQ Can visitors come to a Witch's religious service? 1. What is Witchcraft or Wicca? Witchcraft is a religion. Historically, Wicca is one type of Witchcraft, but recently the term "Wicca" is sometimes applied to Witchcraft in general. These days in the United States, people who practice this religion may call themselves Witches or Wiccans. It is an earth-based religion, in some ways similar to Native American spirituality. The religion of Witchcraft or Wicca is recognized by most state governments, the federal government, and the United States Armed Forces. Courts have recognized the right of prisoners to practice this religion on an equal basis with other religions. Return to Top 2. Is Witchcraft new? Yes and no.

It is a modern religion, but it is partly based on what we know about the beliefs and practices of people in Old Europe, centuries before Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. Many Witches are very interested in reaching way, way back in human history -- as far as 25,000 years ago, because they believe that in those times, religion in the Middle East and Europe was based on the idea the earth itself is sacred, and that divine power exists in everything in nature. But modern Witches also blend ideas and practices from many times and cultures, which is a modern thing to do. Also, we add our own understanding and new interpretations to old traditions, and create new forms of religious practice that are appropriate for today. Sometimes people call Witchcraft, "the Old Religion" because they believe it is connected to the beliefs of people in pre-Christian Europe. Witchcraft is part of what is called "Neo-Paganism," which is a modern trend in Canada, the United States and Europe. Neo-Pagans are people who are exploring nature-based religious traditions which have historical roots in pre-Christian European culture. Other modern Pagans include, for example, Druids, Church of All Worlds, Feraferia, and Radical Faery.

Return to Top 3. Why do you call yourselves Witches? The word 'Witch" is a very powerful word. Witches have chosen to use it, even though we realize that it sometimes causes misunderstanding. The attitude toward the word "witch" in wider society is paradoxical. On the one hand, most people will say they do not "believe in witches." Yet they react strongly, even fearfully, when they learn that someone is a Witch. Some of the explanation must be the influence of Hollywood and certain fairy tales that describe witches as ugly old women with evil intentions and supernatural powers. Although there is debate among scholars about this subject, most Witches believe that for thousands of years in Europe, the people in a village known as "witches" were highly respected women whom everyone consulted for advice about illness, injury, childbirth, and even emotional troubles. They were mainly women, and they had special knowledge about herbs and various kinds of remedies. They were protectors of human life, and also loved, protected and respected animals and plants. Using the word "Witch," then, reflects admiration for the role that modern Witches believe these people of ancient times played in the life of their communities and a desire to be like them.

Also, using this word reminds everyone that long ago, in European culture, there were women with special knowledge and skills and the power to heal and help -- so as the word, "'Witch," is reclaimed, we hope at the same time to reclaim some of this very positive power of women. Note that both women and men are called "Witch," and most Witches do not generally use terms such as "warlock" or "male witch" for men. Return to Top 4. Do Witches believe in God? Yes and no. We do not believe in a father-figure who lives in some place other than earth, and who rewards and punishes people. But we do use the word "god." More often, though, we use the word "goddess." For Witches these two words mean something very different from how people in the Christian, Jewish, or Muslim faiths use them. The earth is the most familiar and beloved part of the universe to humans, spinning in the sky like all the planets and stars, its origins and destiny unknown and possibly unknowable.

The earth is literally the source of life and when we die our bodies return to the earth, so it is through the earth that we are connected to the mystery and beauty of the cosmos. We believe that our most important lessons come from nature, since that is what surrounds us, and we are part of it. For us, the earth is sacred, meaning something to be cherished and given our highest respect, and worth dedicating our lives to protecting. We call the earth "the Mother," and "the Goddess." The "God" is a very different concept; it means all that lives, grows, and dies -- so that includes all plants and animals. Sometimes the sun represents the God because every year it grows bright in the summer, and fades (or dies) in the winter. Obviously, both men and women have both God and Goddess energy in them. Many things in nature are associated with aspects of the Goddess and the God. A mountain may represent the Goddess and the power to endure, to sustain strength. A snake, which can shed its skin, also represents the Goddess and the power to transform, while an egg may represent the eternal cycle of life, death and rebirth.

The "Horned God" refers to animals with horns and antlerssheep, goats, deerand represents that aspect of our own natures which is wild and untamed. The "Green One" refers to the young God, the new grasses and plants in springtime, and represents our own powers of tenderness and vulnerability as well as the miracle of rebirth and rejuvenation. Often, Witches today call on the Goddess or the God using names that come from other historical periods, and other cultures, especially Celtic, Greek, and Roman -- but some Witches also use the names of Egyptian, African, Scandinavian, Native American, Chinese, and Indian gods and goddesses. This is a very modern phenomenon, since obviously, a woman living in a small village in Scotland 500 years ago would probably not have known about the religions of these other cultures. But for modern Witches, discovering the many connected concepts in various spiritual traditions, and feeling that we are sharing an understanding of the sacredness of nature, and of spiritual power, with other cultures and other times has become a basic part of our religious life.

We try to be extremely careful not to "rip off" other people's spiritual practices: we do not imitate other religions, but we recognize that different cultures always affect each other when they come in contact, so we are open to the influence of other religions which are harmonious with ours. Return to Top 5. Do Witches worship Satan? No. Witches don't even believe in Satan. It might be that, during the Inquisition, the Inquisitors confused their idea of the Devil with the Witches' idea of the Horned God  but that concept is actually related to animal life and has nothing to do with an evil god or spirit who causes harm. (Satanism is a completely different religion from Witchcraft, but articles in newspapers and magazines often confuse the two, or think they are the same thing. Some of the confusion may arise from the fact that the symbol of the pentacle, a five-pointed star enclosed in a circle, is an important symbol in both religions. Most witches use the pentacle with one point at the top, although a few use the "inverted" pentacle, with two points of the star at the top.

The "inverted" star is generally used in Satanism.) Return to Top 6. Do Witches have a Bible? No. There is no single sacred text that all Witches read or believe contains divine truth. Some specific Traditions within the Craft may have a particular book or text which is used by adherents of that Tradition, or which contains authoritative teaching, or is required reading. However, any book calling itself a "Bible" for Witches is not an especially sacred book for all witches, like the Bible for Christians, or the Koran for Muslims, or the Torah for Jews. Generally it is just a title that the publisher or author hoped would sell books. Many Witches have read and been influenced by books written by various authors about Witchcraft and magic. (A Bibliography page for the Reclaiming Website is currently under construction.) Some Witches also draw on the research and writings of people in other fields of study, including history, anthropology, philosophy, feminist theory, and even biology and other sciences. Since Witchcraft is a nature religion, many Witches study plant and animal life. But many Witches do not rely on reading at all for learning about their religion.

They may learn from other Witches, or may draw on their own direct experiences and what they learn through their own religious practice, either alone or with their covens or with their wider community. Many Witches or covens have their own personal journal, usually called a "Book of Shadows" in which they record things that are important to their religious understanding and growth. Return to Top 7. Do Witches sacrifice animals or humans? No. There are religions that do animal sacrifice, but Witchcraft is not one of them. Most Witches love animals, and have beloved pets. Many Witches work for animal rights, and are against using animals in experiments. Many Witches are vegetarians. As for sacrificing people - that's ridiculous - of course not. Return to Top 8. Do Witches believe in good and bad? Yes. One of our most basic rules is: Harm no-one, and you may do as you wish. (The traditional words are: "An (meaning "if") it harm none, do what ye will.") It sounds simple, but this law requires us to consider the consequences of our actions very carefully.

Under this principle comes one of our favorite sayings of the Goddess: "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals." In the natural order of things, a person is born, grows to become adult, and eventually dies in old age. Anything we do that protects this natural order is good. So this includes things like: taking good care of our children; doing scientific research to find better medicines; driving safely; protecting our bodies; protecting the environment. When something interferes with the natural cycle of birth, maturity, and natural death, it is bad - for example: starvation; war; murder; drug or alcohol abuse; car accidents; pollution. Return to Top 9. What do Witches mean by spirit? The Spirit is the Center of the Circle: it is life, which is created by the elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth. In our belief system, life is part of a continuous circle with death. We sing, "Air I am, Fire I am, Water, Earth and Spirit I am." We also sing, "We are a Circle within a Circle, with no beginning and never ending." Many Witches also believe the Spirit is our consciousness that exists independent of our bodies, and that lives forever.

Return to Top 10. Do Witches believe in an afterlife? Yes, most Witches believe in some form of reincarnation, or rebirth -- either in the sense that we all get recycled because everything comes from the earth and our bodies go back into the earth when we die, or in the sense that our individual identity, our spirit, becomes connected to a new person or life-form. Witches do not believe in heaven or hell. Most Witches would acknowledge that they cannot prove their beliefs one way or another, so we call this area of belief an area of Mystery. But most Witches would agree with this song: "It's the blood of the ancients that runs through our veins, and the forms pass, but the circle of life remains." We are all aware of our connections with our ancestors, and of the fact that, in some sense, we will live in our descendants. Return to Top 11. Are there different kinds of Witches? Yes.

Just as there are Catholics, Baptists, Presbyterians, Russian Orthodox, Quaker, Pentecostal, and many other sects of Christianity and there are Conservative, Reform and Hassidic Jews, and Shiite, Fundamentalist, and liberal Muslims, Witches belong to dozens of different sects, which we call "Traditions." Just to name a few, there are: New Reformed Order of the Golden Dawn; Gardnerian; Faery; Celtic. The Reclaiming Tradition is a feminist and relatively non-hierarchical tradition which began on the West Coast of California. [For more information, go to our " About Reclaiming " page for two articles on Reclaiming Tradition history.] Return to Top 12. Do Witches practice black magic? No. When people say "black magic" what they really mean is "evil magic." It is unethical for a Witch to use magic to do something that she could not ethically do by other means if they were available. Most Witches do not generally think of magic itself as "black" or "white." What we do believe is that a person's intention is the most important thing.

And most Witches are extremely reluctant to put out harmful energy, because of the Threefold Law, which says that "everything you do comes back to you three times." What about "putting a hex" on someone? Well, if there is a rapist in the neighborhood, a group of Witches might want to restrain him, to keep him from doing further harm, or even to assist the authorities to arrest him. They might get together to try to use their psychic energy to do that. This is a form of hexing because it is trying to keep the rapist from doing something he wants to do. Actually, the "magic" Witches would do in those circumstances is not very different from Christians or Jews "praying" for the same purposes. In both cases, we are using our minds to call on the spirits and powers we believe in, with the intention of affecting something in the world. During the Inquisition, thousands and thousands of innocent people were accused of "hexing" whenever anything went wrong -- if a baby had a birth defect, or the cows got sick, or the rains were late. Witches believe that such events were probably used as excuses to persecute and get rid of the powerful women in the villages.

People became so hysterical that many other people were also killed, even children. It is painful & sometimes frightening to modern Witches that such prejudice and ignorance are still alive today. Of course some particular person could have evil intentions and really do something bad, or even misuse this religion. This is unusual, and tragic when it happens. It is important to remember that usually, when somebody who commits a crime turns out to be Catholic, or Protestant, or Jewish nobody thinks it is because of their religion they did something bad. Usually the religion of a criminal is not mentioned. Generally, if you hear of somebody making a dramatic public display of being a "Witch" with evil powers, that person is not accepted by real Witches as a sincere and responsible member of the religion. Most real Witches are embarrassed by such people, and upset about the harm they cause by encouraging negative stereotypes. But they are not considered powerful or dangerous otherwise. Return to Top 13. What is a coven? A coven, or a circle, is a small group of Witches who meet regularly to practice their religion. It may be that traditionally a coven had 13 members, but nowadays it could have fewer or more.

Some Traditions have strict rules about how covens are organized and others have no rules at all about this. Some covens are all women, or all men; others are mixed. Some are hierarchical with priests or priestesses or leaders with other titles; some are lineage-based; some are affinity-based; and some make their own rules about who can join. Many covens prefer to keep their own way of doing things secret. Members of a coven often become extremely close to each other, and may consider each other as family. Return to Top 14. Does Witchcraft have priests or ministers? Yes. In some Traditions, everyone is considered to be a Priest or Priestess, and in others only certain people are given that title. Some traditions have a hierarchy and recognize only a few people, or one person, as High Priest or High Priestess, or equivalent title. There is no uniform system of training or accreditation which is used by all Traditions. The Covenant of the Goddess (called "COG") is an organization of many covens and circles and is officially recognized in most states as a church or religious organization. It issues legally recognized clergy credentials to qualified people and a Priestess or Priest with these credentials can perform a legally recognized marriage.

Priestesses and Priests also lead many other rites of passage, celebrations and rituals, for example: Funerals; Healing Rituals; Welcomings and Naming Ceremonies for babies; Coming of Age rituals to honor girls when they begin to menstruate, and for boys when they are old enough to be recognized as young men. A "Handfasting" ritual is a ceremony of commitment and/or marriage (legally recognized or not) which may be performed for a mixed-sex or same-sex couple or for alliances of more than two people. Return to Top 15. What kind of People are Witches? It is just as difficult to say who the Witches are, as to say who the Jews, or Muslims, or Catholics, or Protestants are. We are waitresses, secretaries, carpenters, lawyers, prisoners, mechanics, soldiers, grandmothers, computer programmers, theologians, gardeners, teachers, etc. We are men and women, young and old. Most Witches are of European descent, but some are African-American, Asian-American, Pacific Islanders, Chicanas, mixed race, etc. Some are disabled, some are athletes or dancers. Basically, anybody can be a Witch.

Return to Top 16. How do people join? Everyone has to find her or his own spiritual path, and often the path into the Craft is difficult to find. Although there are hundreds of books available and many websites, most Witches are very quiet about their religion. They do not believe in trying to convert people. Those who find their way into the Craft have generally made a significant effort to do so. Return to Top 17. Can visitors come to a Witch's religious service? Coven meetings are almost never open to outsiders, although some may, rarely, allow outsiders to attend by invitation. Larger religious services are generally called "rituals" and most are private events open only to those personally invited. Some Traditions do have rituals that are open to the public and held in a public place. Public rituals in the Reclaiming Tradition are announced on the Reclaiming website. Visitors are welcome to public rituals as long as they come with a respectful attitude (see Ritual Etiquette - ecell), and especially if they would welcome a Witch to visit their own worship service. They will understand more if they read a little first, but it is not necessary. Visitors must be willing to participate with an open mind and heart.

It is not usually appropriate just to stand around and watch, unless they are disabled and physically unable to participate.

Question: What is a group of witches called?
Answer: Coven